Equities decline on policy worries

Chinese stocks fell, dragging the Shanghai Composite Index down the most this month, on speculation policy makers will raise interest rates and withdraw stimulus after the economy grew at the fastest pace in a year.

China Construction Bank Corp, the nation's second-biggest lender, declined 1.5 percent and Jiangxi Copper Co lost 2.5 percent after the statistics bureau said inflationary expectations are rising.

The Shanghai Composite Index declined 19.18, or 0.6 percent, to 3,051.41 at the close, after swinging between gains and losses at least 10 times. The drop was the biggest since Sept 28. The CSI 300 Index, which tracks stocks on both the Shanghai and Shenzhen exchanges, retreated 0.7 percent to 3,347.32.